Press Release

NIU Law Students Prepare for Spring Clinical Experience

February 6, 2014

DeKalb, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University College of Law Clinical Program began the spring semester with students taking an oath as they prepare for a valuable experience of working in the community. The Honorable René Cruz, a 1995 law alumnus and the first Latino judge in the Kane County, conducted the swearing-in ceremony and spoke to the students about the importance of their work representing low-income clients.

This semester, twenty second- and third-year law students are enrolled in one of NIU Law’s four clinics. At the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic in Rockford, students in the Civil Justice Clinic represent victims of domestic abuse and provide estate planning assistance for senior citizens, while students in the Juvenile Justice Clinic represent youths facing criminal charges in Winnebago County. In the Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic located at Hesed House in Aurora, students are establishing a legal clinic to work directly with medical providers to create better outcomes for patients. In the Foreclosure Mediation Clinic at the Kane County Courthouse, students represent homeowners during the mediation portion of their foreclosure cases.

The varied clinical offerings at NIU allow law students the opportunity to gain valuable experience representing actual clients in civil law, criminal law, alternative dispute resolution and administrative law matters. Students can choose a clinical experience that matches their professional interests and gain direct experience working with clients, while under the supervision of a clinical law faculty member.

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For more information, contact:Melody MitchellAlumni Events & Public Relations(815) 753-9655 or